This particular story was just inspired by my friend Ken Payton. On Facebook Ken wrote:

So… I’ve uploaded and tagged a new gallery, this one simply called ‘Bordeaux, France’. I’ve kept the tags clean and simple; and, as you will note, some will be unavailable for commercial applications owing to the absence of the proper release. But don’t let this stop you from having a look! Ordinary folks, like you and me, can still enjoy OR purchase for private use.

What really caught my eye of Ken’s pictures was this Porte Cailhau Installation. The image below this one is from the outside looking in. Ken’s image is from the inside looking out. A nice balance. I want to take both images. #BucketList

Ken also had this to say about this image… Leaving a great hole for fun research:

Ah, Port Cailhau… I treasure that photo… It is said that the art in the foreground is meant to represent drops of mercury used for mining local hillsides… But I’ve been unable to find the proper historical reference…

It guides us to the best things to do in Bordeaux, with Porte Cailhau being one of them… Let’s explore.

10 Top Things to Do in Bordeaux ~ This image is Number 6 Porte Cailhau, and takes you to see one of the gated entrances to the city of Bordeaux.

It’s the view of Porte Cailhau, from the Place de Palais, Bordeaux. Located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Gironde, Aquitaine, France, I’m beginning to connect some dots from earlier blog stories. The Porte Cailhau has become number one on my list of where to visit in the city of Bordeaux… Beyond the vines, while enjoying the wines.

I was really drawn to Ken’s Porte Cailhau Installation image. It made me want to know more… Sometimes, it’s about Beyond the vines, while enjoying the wines. This is one of those times. I find the city of Bordeaux captivating. The culture of this location is driven by its agribusiness, as all wine country locations are. So, what about Bordeaux’s Porte Cailhau?

A quick search turned up another talented photographer: Mark Fink, of New Paltz, Hudson Valley, USA, North America… Mark’s specialty is 360 degree, panorama views. This image was posted on blog.360cities.net, the world’s largest Panorama Photography site and community. I then traced it to Mark Fink’s site. Go check it out…

Mark described his image: France: Porte Cailhau Vr Bordeaux France

At one time, Bordeaux was a walled city, and here and there you’ll find reminders of this. One in particular, the Port Cailhau, was built to celebrate King Charles VIII‘s victory at Fornovo, Italy. Dating back to 1494, it is in beautiful condition and looks almost the same as it did when first built. As you walk out from the city through the gate, you are presented with an expansive view to the east of the Garonne river and the park built along its bank. This is a wonderful place to have lunch or dinner under the trees and watch the street performers.

This defensive gate from the Middle Ages offers a beautiful perspective of the docks of the Garonne River, its stone bridge, and the city skyline. Built in 1494, it dates back in my genealogy… King Charles VIII was a great grandfather. Imagine visiting this location, and trying to channel back to those days. Not nearly as regal or blood thirsty for success, it might be a bit hard to do, but it would most certainly be fun to try, never-the-less.

Bordeaux’s old town still has four city gates, the most beautiful and impressive of them being Porte Cailhau. Squeezed between the buildings surrounding it, it is impressive but also gives the impression that it would be more suitable elsewhere. It was built between 1493 and 1496 to honour King Charles VIII after his defeat of the Italians. Its name, however, derives from something much more down-to-earth: the “cailloux”* were the stones unloaded from the ships at the nearby quais.

*HOW THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED: Years ago, when visiting Puerto Rico (image provided from PR), and marveling at their blue, cobblestone streets, I leaned that these stones came across the Atlantic as the weight in a ship’s ballast. Once they arrived, they unloaded the stones and replaced the weight with treasurers that they took from the new world, to bring back to their kings and queens. The stones were then used, by the city that had been visited or invaded, to pave streets. Walking on them is walking on history. Seeing the city of Bordeaux’s structures holds the same captivating result… touching history.

Credit to Millesima for originally inspiring me to learn about Bordeaux.